Route Fifty
Amazon Pulls Out of Headquarters Deal in New York City
But the company won't reopen the search for a new location.
Defense
There’s a Big Obstacle to the Pentagon’s New Strategy to Speed AI to Troops
Defense officials want to accelerate the delivery of artificial-intelligence tools from the lab to the field. But it's hard to obtain the massive data streams that make AI work.
Defense
Senate Committee Grills Navy Official Over 2017 Collisions, Seeking Data to Prove Conditions Have Changed
During an Armed Services Committee hearing that referenced ProPublica’s investigation into the deadly mishaps, a senator pressed the top commander in the Pacific to give “real numbers,” “not promises and not good feelings.”
Tech
NASA Declares a Beloved Mars Mission Over
The space agency will stop trying to contact the Opportunity rover, which was sent to Mars to search for evidence of water.
Oversight
Play of the Day: Valentine's Day in Washington
Members of the Trump administration have some sweet cards for their loved ones.
Route Fifty
Republican Senator Says Infrastructure Proponents Need to Be Realistic
“We can do little reauthorizations within the current constraints, but to do something big we’d have to fess up and agree that you have to pay for things,” said U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
Route Fifty
The Next E-Scooter Headache: Hackers
A cybersecurity firm showed they could take control of an e-scooter someone was riding from up to 100 meters.
Nextgov
GAO Urges Congress to Start Moving on a Privacy Law
Researchers recommended lawmakers give regulators more power to write rules and punish the companies that break them.
Management
FEMA Administrator Brock Long Resigns
His departure comes as the agency faces increased scrutiny for its response during previous disasters.
Pay & Benefits
Shutdown-Avoiding Spending Package Includes 1.9 Percent Pay Raise for 2019
Measure that would keep the government open and overrule a pay freeze could be voted on as soon as Thursday.
News
Yay! We’re Back to Traditional Dysfunctional Spending Negotiations
A guide to the stages of budget brinksmanship.
Management
Contractor Back Pay Bills Swirl Around Talks to Avoid New Shutdown
Trump is said to be resisting plans to reimburse mostly low-income employees for the 35-day shutdown.
Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers Investigate Back Pay Issues, New Post-Shutdown Clarification on Promotions, and More
A weekly round-up of pay and benefits news.
Management
Shutdown Caused 'Real Harm' to IRS and Taxpayers, Advocate Argues
Details given on how tax agency struggled to launch filing season with furloughed staff.
Nextgov
DOJ Indicts Former Intel Officer For Helping Iran Hack Her Colleagues
Monica Witt, a former Air Force officer and intelligence community contractor, also allegedly disclosed information about a sensitive Pentagon program, according to Justice Department officials.
Route Fifty
Riders Aren't Quitting Transit—Just Using It Less Often
New research from a transit-reform nonprofit found that riders are likely to return to public transit if service improves.
Pay & Benefits
Federal Employee Appeals Board May Soon Finally Be Able to Hear Cases
Panel approves two MSPB nominees, but there's a catch.
Defense
The Navy to Create Chief Learning Officer, Overhaul Sailor Education
The creation of a Naval University and other changes are aimed at better shaping sailors and Marines for tomorrow’s wars.
Management
Winning and Losing the HR Game
Using the same metrics across federal agencies would highlight the best and worst performers.
Defense